PECM Issue 23 2016 - Page 42

Electrolytic weld cleaners
like Fusion Clean pass an
electric current through a
cleaning fluid which has
been applied to the metal.
How to save time B
and money on
stainless steel
weld cleaning
ecause welds are
more susceptible
to corrosion if
they are left
uncleaned, it’s good practice
to always clean your welds.
There are several techniques,
but the relatively new boy on
the block, electrolytic weld
cleaning, is by far the most
eﬀective.
There are many ways to save time
and money for your business without
compromising on quality. But did you
realise you could be wasting precious
resources on weld-cleaning techniques
that are both inefficient and poor
quality?
The traditional method for
post-weld cleaning uses
pickling paste. This corrosive
substance erodes the top
layer of the weld, leaving
a completely clean surface
below. Get the timings
right, and it s ﬁne. But get
the timings wrong and you
could weaken your weld, or
even worse, end up with thin
patches or holes in the metal.
And not that, but pickling
paste takes several hours
to work and can be very
dangerous.
In contrast, electrolytic
cleaning works immediately
on cooled stainless
steel welds, providing
instantaneous results.
And there’s no chance
of weakening your weld.
Why Because it works in a
completely diﬀerent way.
Unlike pickling paste, which
strips away the top layer,
electrolytic weld cleaning
actually restores stainless
steel to its original shiny
state.
Electrolytic weld cleaners like
Fusion Clean pass an electric
current through a cleaning
ﬂuid which has been applied
to the metal. The ﬂuid, which
is a mild electrolyte, allows
42
PECM Issue 23
the the current to dissolve
any non-metallic substance,
completely removing rust,
blemishes and weld burn.
And because Inverter Fusion’s
cleaning ﬂuid will not aﬀect
the steel without a current,
you can be secure knowing
that you have complete
control over the process.
Not only does the electrolytic
cleaning process restore the
steel to its original state, it
also signiﬁcantly decreases
the likelihood of future
corrosion.
Electrolytic processes are
also much safer and more
environmentally friendly.
Pickling paste is a combination
of hydroﬂuoric acid and nitric
acid and can not only cause
serious burns, but also serious
lung problems, dangers which
are often overlooked.
If you’re looking for a reliable,
high-quality cleaning machine,
look no further than Inverter
Fusion’s Fusion Clean.
Designed and manufactured
in the UK, the machine comes
with a comprehensive three
year warranty.
‘The Fusion Clean is the most
sturdy, well built machine we
have come across. Nothing
compares to the price, quality
and ease of use,’ commented
Dom at Water Blades Us.
‘We found ourselves using less
ﬂuid, fewer passes over the
welds and found over a batch
of parts a saving on time.’
For more information visit
www.inverterfusion.co.uk,
or call 01404 549791.